Happy Black History Month fellow collegiettes! This month is an incredibly important month as it teaches many people about the accomplishments and excellence of Black people across the globe! Unapologetic means to not acknowledge or express regret. With the rise of hashtags and trends like #blackgirlmagic #blackboyjoy #blackout #blackexcellence #melaninpoppin and even #blackmirror (Not the Netflix show), social media has served as a form of expression for many black people who feel they are under-represented in the world or feel that they have been misunderstood for far too long. These hashtags show that there is nothing wrong with being black and like other races, we too should be celebrated. Being black isn’t a negative attribute, it is a prominent part of many people’s identity and culture. To my brothas and sistas, be proud of who you are and never let anyone make you feel guilty of the skin that you are in. As for anyone else, be supportive! So to celebrate blackness here are 7 people who weren’t afraid to be Black and Proud.
Zendaya Coleman:
Zendaya showed the world that black culture isn’t a trend when she stunned on the Oscars red carpet donning faux dreadlocks. Unfortunately, her style wasn’t received well with others. A host from the Fashion Police commented that she looked like “she smelled like Patchouli oil or marijuana”. Needless to say, the rude comment didn’t sit well with Zendaya and she posted a classy response on her Instagram page. In her post, she not only condemns the rude and offensive comments said about her hair, but she also names other prestigious figures who have locs as well.
Amandla Stenberg:
Amandla, sweet Amandla! The young actress has been outspoken when it comes to being black in Hollywood and ending the angry black woman narrative. Most famously she caught the attention of many with her school project “Don’t Cash Crop On My Cornrows”. The video informs the viewer about the problems many black women face due to cultural appropriation. In the video, she calls out countless instances where black culture(hip-hop, braids, clothes, ebonics) has been turned into an “edgy” fashion trend or a costume for non-POC. Her words alone made many people aware of cultural appropriation and how it affects POC, but it hasn’t brought an end to the issue. However, Amandla isn’t afraid to call others out on their wrongs. By using her platform to inform the masses, she gives a voice to the voiceless.
Kofi Siriboe:
The gorgeous and fine, Queen Sugar actor recently caught the attention of many in his twitter posts uplifting. It all started when Siriboe tweeted that his mother was the reason he would always support black women, stating that “nobody will ride for you like a black woman period”. Siriboe isn’t the first to write about black women being the backbone for everyone and he isn’t the first to receive hate for it. Within the hour, a twitter user decided to steal the spotlight from Kofi honoring his black mother and commented that “all good moms do wonderful things”. Kofi wasn’t about to downplay the support of black women and neither was twitter. In his response, he unapologetically states that he will proudly and boldly uplift black women and he shouldn’t feel any shame or guilt for supporting his sistas!
The Creators of #BlackoutDay Marissa Sebastian and V. Matthew-King Yarde:
On the sixth day of every third month, black people across the globe upload selfies that drip with melanin and restore our souls. The creators of this wonderful day saw the lack of black beauty in media and in general. Yarde realized that on his dashboard there wasn’t enough celebration of black beauty and wanted to challenge the eurocentric standards of beauty by proving that black skin can be beautiful and it is indeed.
Deddeh Howard:
A Liberian model got a lot of attention when she recreated a series of photos featuring famous white supermodels under the hashtag #blackmirror. Her reason for doing it was due to the lack of black supermodels that were portrayed in magazines and photoshoots. By using white models and putting a limit on how many black models can be used for a shoot there was a lack of opportunity for black models. In her campaign, she casts a spotlight on the lack of diversity used in the modeling industry and hopes this raises awareness and opens the door for opportunity for Black women.
Zulaikha Patel:
Y’all remember that beautiful South African school girl who refused to ‘tame’ her afro and launched a protest against racist hair policies. South Africa has a long history of racial issues that still remain today and affect the many indigenous natives in the population. Through life, Patel’s hair has been called unnatural and been a problem with school administrators. Even with all that negativity surrounding her she chose not to change who she is, proved that she is unapologetically black and that you can’t shame someone for the looks they were born with.
Colin Kaepernick:
Some may call him a controversial figure, but I think Kaepernick’s actions were quite brave and unapologetically black. Sports play an important role in the lives of Americans and football is number one in the hearts of many. Some don’t want to see sports mixed with politics. Those few people seem to forget that everything in our lives revolves around politics. May I remind everyone of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin where African-American runner Jesse Owens won gold and proved to Hitler that the Aryans weren’t the supreme race. Kaepernick chose to unapologetically and bravely protest the lack of action taken to end police brutality by refusing to stand for the National Anthem. By doing so he sparked a lot of controversy, but also got people talking about the issues facing our country. It can be noted that athletes have voices as well. They’re not above nor below us. They aren’t puppets who are expected to play for a season and win. To some of them, it would be unjust, to turn a blind eye and stay silent when violence, corruption, and social injustice are surrounding them.